THE GOOD STUFF: The Naish Park received some major overhauls and added High Definition to its name but also matched this moniker with some smoother driving, freestyle performance. It’s a meaner looking Park than ever, with a slightly higher aspect canopy that blends even more C-kite style performance with smoother amounts of depower and more intuitive direct drive. The Park began as essentially a bridled C-kite with shortened and squared wingtips. It has evolved with compact, pulley-free bridles that free the off/on feel you can get in bridled freestyle kites. The solid power and pull and nicely powered kite looping and slack ability make it a standout kite for more advanced and aggressive riders. Having the ability to generate smooth amounts of power through the sweep of the wingtip has advantages for pop-and-park riding with powered kite loops aiding in soft landings. A solid canopy and good pop and boost while hooked will be appreciated most by the more advanced riders that want that added punch. The kite looping is smooth and generates great pull as the Park pivots from a wingtip, while the corresponding sweeping wingtip generates some smooth pull. Upgraded this season, all Naish kites also include a new large valve at the inflation point that incorporated into the Naish exclusive Octopus, one-pump, internal inflation system. There is still plenty of range and depower that suits the kite to some park and slash, wave prowess. The 2016 Park HD rejuvenates itself as a classic that fits the bill for the discerning freestyle rider that wants to use the smooth pop and drop, and sweet swooping pull to their advantage.

THE TRADE OFF: Maybe more technical to fly than more basic freeride sheet-and-go kites, but the payoff is worth figuring out.

BEST FOR: Intermediate-to-advanced riders that want a C-kite experience with pop-and-slack ability, combined with a kite that can handle itself admirably in the surf.